Scott Mo and other pollies

[Tonz]

seriously I cannot understand all this hoo haa about him being away.
Ive heard a few CFS guys getting quite ****ty when the knobs arrive at a disaster,
'just F off and let us get on with our job'....
'we are wasting time with you *** holes farting around'

are not uncommon,
if my house was in line of a fire, Id want the team doing their job not some ******** pollie wanting media attention.

Sure Scotty is allowed a little privacy to go on holidays

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Tonz

seriously I cannot understand all this hoo haa about him being away.
Ive heard a few CFS guys getting quite ****ty when the knobs arrive at a disaster,
'just F off and let us get on with our job'....
'we are wasting time with you *** holes farting around'

are not uncommon,
if my house was in line of a fire, Id want the team doing their job not some ******** pollie wanting media attention.

Sure Scotty is allowed a little privacy to go on holidays

Agree 100% - leadership role, leadership role is not micromanaging on front lines.

Go on holidays, he is available by phone or internet to get updates on situation.

IMO prime minister should not be involving himself in affairs of state issues anyway, yes its serious but it does not need involvement from federal government aside from funding and parliamentary actions to commit more resources to problem in assistance to state government.

The only reason people are making a mountain out of a molehill is cheap political points and media attention to have their 15 seconds of fame.

Everyone has worked around that manager who keeps micromanaging everything and makes the situation worse - **** off mate we've got it covered.

Don't need or want Scomo on the front lines, show face, take photos, make obligatory media statements then leave and enjoy family time in Hawaii, not required further.

[Giant Cranium]

Damned if he does. Damned if he doesn’t.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Giant Cranium

Damned if he does. Damned if he doesn’t.

Indeed - symptom of modern politics with social media where it devolves into 'us vs them' there's no middle ground or debate anymore its you're either with us or against us and they'll go out their way to destroy you if you have a different opinion.

Identity Politics.

[jaydee]

Agree with all of the above.
Everything is trial by social media these days, and once that ball gets rolling, it's hard to stop.
Not like he's going to actually doing anything, just doing the rounds for moral support, which takes the troops away from doing what they need to be doing.
By the way, bloody good job all those bloke and women.
Seen lots of reports of car and bike collections burnt up, real shame as well, but not compared to losing your house and property.

[hayseed]

I think the Bigger issue/s here are.
1) His Staff Lied about where he (& his family) were.
Plus.
2)Michael McCormack is a Limp Biscuit who couldn't organize Sex in a Brothel with Fist full of $100 Notes.. let alone conduct Himself like an "Acting Prime Minister"...

[Bossxr8]

He has to be seen as caring. That’s all it is. At the end of the day him being there means sweet fa.

[smoo]

Originally Posted by Franco Cozzo

Indeed - symptom of modern politics with social media where it devolves into 'us vs them' there's no middle ground or debate anymore its you're either with us or against us and they'll go out their way to destroy you if you have a different opinion.

Identity Politics.

Identity politics to a tee.
Most who seem to be making a deal out of it on social media appear to be millennial leftists, because his stance on climate change doesn’t toe their line and he is an older white man.

[aussiblue]

Most who seem to be making a deal out of it on social media appear to be millennial leftists, because his stance on climate change doesn’t toe their line and he is an older white man.

I'm a baby boomer and he is young by my standards and I have to say he and/or his advisers/spin doctors got this horribly wrong. He should have taken an example from Her Maj., Queenie. Looking at what she has done in the past you know she would have returned from hols immediately there was an apparent Nation crisis apparent and given an address to the nation type speech and visited affected families. His unexplained absence and his lack of public announcement address to the nation type speech was a PR disaster that I don't think he'll ever live down. I'm no royalist, but Scomo and his spin doctors could learn a lot from old 'Liz. To many Scomo is now "Slomo" with a public image of someone out of contact with, and without empathy or care for the people.

[Trevor 57]

When do the firies get their holidays

Christine Nixon was sacked for less

International news has picked on him being on holidays, one called smoco hahahahaha

Regardless whether he can contribute anything or not is irrelevant - he needs to show he cares and being on holidays does NOT do that, let alone the idiotic post he did about going on holidays, something about see you when the smoke clears - what a ****ing stupid thing to do - it proves he doesn't give a ****

[marty351]

Wow. Now we have cheese greta telling us, the bushfire nation, we aren't doing enough politically in this crisis.

So lets put Scomo and his ilk on the front line to put out the "it's our fault" fires, and sit back, pat ourselves on the back, and tell the rest of the world that we listened to Grater. That's how fires are fought. #twitter,#dumbass,

[ratter]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

When do the firies get their holidays

Christine Nixon was sacked for less

International news has picked on him being on holidays, one called smoco hahahahaha

Regardless whether he can contribute anything or not is irrelevant - he needs to show he cares and being on holidays does NOT do that, let alone the idiotic post he did about going on holidays, something about see you when the smoke clears - what a ****ing stupid thing to do - it proves he doesn't give a ****

And this is the exact mentality that this post is about

[Cav]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

When do the firies get their holidays

Christine Nixon was sacked for less

International news has picked on him being on holidays, one called smoco hahahahaha

Regardless whether he can contribute anything or not is irrelevant - he needs to show he cares and being on holidays does NOT do that, let alone the idiotic post he did about going on holidays, something about see you when the smoke clears - what a ****ing stupid thing to do - it proves he doesn't give a ****

So Trev, do you suggest SCOMO should actually fight the fires like another PM did and still got 'roasted' for it?

Check out this article in THE GUARDIAN .....

Tony Abbott, stop fighting bushfires and start the job you were elected to do

Paula Matthewson
The prime minister's presence at the bushfires is causing a security headache, taking him away from his work and looking increasingly self-indulgent. It's time he dropped the hose
@Drag0nista
Tue 22 Oct 2013 15.38 AEDT First published on Tue 22 Oct 2013 15.38 AEDT




Tony Abbott is briefed by RFS personnel

Tony Abbott is briefed by RFS personnel following bushfires in the Blue Mountains. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
It was always going to be interesting to see what the nascent prime minister would do once we entered bushfire season. As a long-term volunteer member of the NSW Rural Fire Service, would he continue to undertake this community service or play the statesman instead?

It turns out we found out quicker than anticipated with the early onset of bushfire season.

In some ways Abbott was faced with an invidious choice. He could continue the practice he’d established as opposition leader (fight fires when he’s on call and his unit is deployed) and risk being seen to be exploiting a potentially tragic event for a photo opportunity. Or he could put his new higher duties first and be accused retrospectively of only having done it for the cameras when in opposition.

Sure Abbott is a genuine bloke and he wants to do things that a regular bloke does – including pitch in with his RFS comrades. But his recent firefighting foray smacks of orchestration when it occurs at the same time as his government restricts eligibility for disaster payments, and his fellow first minister Barry O’Farrell is copping a backlash for closing fire stations.

And then there is the safety question. Would the supporters of Abbott’s continued fire-fighting while in high office be equally sanguine if he took on similarly hazardous tasks in the Defence Force Reserves? Or if there was no community-service element in the risk-taking and he spent his weekends skydiving or white-water rafting?

As Laurie Oakes pointed out in an otherwise extraordinarily sycophantic piece that spookily echoes Lisa Simpson’s “why is your campaign like a runaway freight train?”, this behaviour causes considerable headaches for his security detail. This is in contrast to the PM’s decision to stay in a Spartan flat at the AFP College while in Canberra, at least in part because it helps the AFP keep him secure.

As much as I’m sure Australia would survive perfectly well with Nationals Leader Warren Truss as interregnum PM, isn’t there a point at which a Prime Minister who engages in potentially high-risk activities accepts the need to reduce that risk in the interests of stable government?

For it was the prospect of stable government that attracted voters to the Coalition (or at least away from Labor). This is a government that has set itself a substantial amount of work to do, not only (eventually) scrapping the carbon tax/price, stopping the (information about the) boats, and building the (cheaper but still pretty fast) alternative NBN, but also implementing the NDIS and having a less revolutionary education revolution. Not to mention saving the car industry. Oh and producing a federal budget.


We were told by Tony Abbott many times during the four years he was opposition leader, and even more during the election campaign, that voters wanted a grown-up government, a government that was not obsessed with the media-cycle (and attendant photo opportunities) and one that would get on with the job of governing.

Inconveniently for Abbott, having vacated the field in an attempt to slow down the news cycle, muzzled new ministers and imposed what is effectively a blackout on "sensitive" government information, voters have next to no idea whether their newly minted Coalition government is doing what he promised.

Meantime, they see glimpses of their prime minister doing heroic things on the television which seem to have little connection with strong, stable government.

At what point do Abbott’s Putinesque cameo appearance at the beach, on a bike or near a fire, stop reinforcing voters’ perception of the prime minister as fit, strong and decisive, and start to look like mere self-indulgences?

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...ua0f04ZkcJwdgc

It seems everyone's opinion today is based on their political allegiances.

One side is good, the other side is bad - this seems to be the basis of social media comments.

No body cares about facts or rational debate any more - just slag off at the other side who's politics you hate.

BTW in our system of 3 tiered govmint - bushfires are a state responsibility.

Oh, and just in case you missed this yesterday...

[Franco Cozzo]

He's like our very own Vladimir Putin

What I like about social media is the participants live in their own echo chamber - they're surrounded by people with the same views as their own all the time.

That's why when a Donald Trump or someone with conservative views comes along they're 'the enemy' and are to be shouted down, discredited and dog piled.

It appeals within their own echo chamber, these people lack perspective outside of their circles, which is why they react in such a way of disbelief when Donald Trump gets elected, Brexit won, LNP winning our last federal election and the latest conservative win in the UK.

Views circulated on social media are not reflective of greater societies views.

I've turned baiting kombucha drinking lefties into nonsense arguments on social media into a sport

I hold center-left political views but according to Twitter I'm worse than Hitler.

[aussiblue]

This reported Pontius Pilate hands washing like comment won't help:

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work...13650ac42c74eb

The tourist told 10 News he asked Mr Morrison whether was going home to “resolve the bushfire situation”.

“His comment to me is that this was a state issue,” he said.

“He was quite happy to sit and have cocktails served to him when our firefighters are doing it really hard.

“I think the man just has to have a step back and a bit of a check on himself.”

[hayseed]

“His comment to me is that this was a state issue,” he said

He's 100% correct, It is a State... However He could however act a little "Statesman Like"

[Cav]

You know how I said in an earlier post that we have 3 tiers of govmint and that bushfires are a state responsibility?

Well guess what?






Where is your outrage Trev?

[Trevor 57]

Didn't know, 2 States away from me, plus NSW has fires, their Premier is doing a great job. S.A. has fires, their Premier is doing a great job. W.A. has fires, their Premier is doing a good job. Vic has fires, our Premier is doing a great job

When you have 5 out States out of 6 under ember attack there is a need for National leadership - he was missing in action. I think the thing that grated me the most was his stupid post before he left

[b0son]

ScoMo being here is a largely symbolic gesture. I think the issue is that he'd rather be on holidays than to make even a symbolic gesture. He can try and guilt trip us about wanting to be there for his family, but what about the amount of time the RFS volunteers have been away from theirs, and likely to be this xmas? And the press conference he gave on his return, which was supposed to be about the fires, and ended up with him spruiking the governments achievements. He's about as sensitive as a dead leg.

[MITCHAY]

I can understand it. He went on holiday while thousands of volunteers are fighting fires and giving up pay and holidays to do so not to mention, risking their lives. This should not be a hard concept to grasp, the optics are not good hence why all uproar about it. And then there have been a few foot in mouth words from him since.

I think both sides need to dial back the rhetoric a bit.

On one extreme he is not going to be out there with a hose and make any difference if he did, he is not a fire fighter. But it shows solidarity and some may find it comforting in time of need he is here.

On the other side of the extremes, people say he will just get in the way so what's the big deal. Well he is not on the front lines and if it were effecting the RFS they would just say so. Serving some sangas or meeting up with those in evacuation centres is not going to compromise any operations either.

He deserves to cop some flack but bashing him for days or weeks is over the top. I really hate how the extremes are drowning out where most people actually live which is in the middle.

[Yellow_Festiva]

It would have been political gold if himself and his family put in a few hrs for a few days at different locations handing out lunches or bottles of water at a volunteer station.

On the other days a few hrs walking around observing the aftermath and speaking to locals on the ground.

No one would have knocked that and his 'in touch with the community' score would have gone up several notches.

The holiday could have waited till the end of Jan. Better still, he could have let slip that he postponed his family holiday to attend to his countries needs.

Would have earnt another bunch of notches again...

Isn't that what advisers are for?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

It would have been political gold if himself and his family put in a few hrs for a few days at different locations handing out lunches or bottles of water at a volunteer station.

On the other days a few hrs walking around observing the aftermath and speaking to locals on the ground.

No one would have knocked that and his 'in touch with the community' score would have gone up several notches.

The holiday could have waited till the end of Jan. Better still, he could have let slip that he postponed his family holiday to attend to his countries needs.

Would have earnt another bunch of notches again...

Isn't that what advisers are for?

Our political class are disconnected from the rest of us by multiple levels - certainly a miss on a good propaganda score.

[MITCHAY]

I highly doubt he would have done the same thing last year compared to this in comparable circumstances given the election cycle.

He deserves a holiday like anyone else and whether you think he is a good or bad PM it would be a hard job regardless but he has read the room badly on this one.

At the same time I don't want to hear about it for weeks on end either like it makes a massive difference

[Yellow_Festiva]

The media tore apart Bill Shorten for all his efforts at trying to appear normal. And the media is always around observing these people and picking out and exploiting all their flaws.

I don't mind Scomo, hopefully he learns from this.

[Trevor 57]

He is more interested in himself and his public image than the public

He proved that during the election, the ran a 'Presidential' style election, nothing about his party all about him and people fell for it

[roKWiz]

Pollies, call me cynical but they are all the same doesn't matter which side.

I just read Scomo govco approving his own church $110 000 funding to reduce hate crimes against it.

Typical pollie set your self up first then appear to be doing great things for the country.

I would like to send them all to Hawaii.

[Cav]

OK I finally get it.

You hate Scomo because your bloke didn't win.

[roddy1960]

I'm an ALP member so I won't mention Sco Mo directly other than the current critical comments he's getting and a general comment on the pollies lot in this regard.

All pollies of all persuasions can be more switched on with the voters and okay it's a tough job they do a lot of the time but copping flak is a part of that and they have to be ready for it . They know that you'd think so decisions they make can have an effect on how they are seen like in this case . Albo is in the same position and will be perceived for what he says and does good or bad .

That said . The media will jump on the them and drive their own spin home hard like they have done here . I think the PM copping it a little bit too hard.

Here in Tassie late in 2018 and early this year we had horrible fires that destroyed a lot of natural and ecology sensitive areas and property . Many towns in the South and other parts of the State were at great risk . The politicians on both sides in State and Federal were pretty good I thought and were around a fair bit to see for themselves .

The State Liberals have been highly critisized in recent times since the fires with a massive threat is facing us too. The terror that NSW/ACT , Qld , Victoria , South Oz and W.A. are going through right now (praying for everybody affected) will be right at the forefront for a largely parched Tasmania too. I've been on this earth for nearly six decades and I've never seen our valley before Christmas as dry as this ...EVER. Hobart is already on stage 1 water restrictions which is extremely rare too .

The State Libs are copping it for fire fighting resource management deficiencies apparently since the most recent fires I mentioned . Of course Labor is having a bit of a chip too other than media but I'd be surprised if they weren't because that's politics. Always will happen no matter who is in power.

What really matters is that when fire , flood or cyclonic etc disasters hit that we all help in whatever way we can and let politicians do whatever they can sorting out with disaster relief and resources . Who really cares when it's all said and done if the PM , the Premier or such is instantly there and present getting in the way more likely . More important for the disaster relief controllers to be there and hard at it than them methinks.

That's what I think about it all .

[roddy1960]

It's even worse now...really is . Old timers have told me they've never seen conditions so early in summer like it ..

On politicians , here is Senator Lisa Singh addressing the Senate on what happened about a year ago .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAquWscZi7M..

It's terrible times ahead if fires go like on the big island right now.

This is from the 2013 Tasman Peninsula fires that wiped places like Dunalley of the map .. Some REAL heroes featured in this report and God Bless all of them... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5N33lfA7o0&t=88s...

Best wishes and outcomes to all those already deeply affected by the fires in the other States..

[Cav]

Originally Posted by roddy1960

It's even worse now...really is . Old timers have told me they've never seen conditions so early in summer like it ..

On politicians , here is Senator Lisa Singh addressing the Senate on what happened about a year ago .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAquWscZi7M..

It's terrible times ahead if fires go like on the big island right now.

Best wishes and outcomes to all those already deeply affected by the fires in the other States..

This is unbelievable, I've never seen anything like it before ... but others have.